Several cosplayers were removed from the 39th Guangzhou Firefly ACG Expo after selling cups of liquid in which they had soaked their bare feet for 50 yuan, or about $7, while crowds gathered outside the venue. The stunt unfolded during the convention's four day run from 17 to 20 July 2026 at the Poly World Trade Center Expo in Guangzhou, China.
Videos circulating online showed attendees queuing for the so called 'foot juice', with some men reportedly lying on the ground to drink directly from containers or licking the cosplayers' feet. Organisers said the sellers were expelled after complaints and that similar stalls would not be allowed at future events.
Crowds Gathered Around the 'Foot Juice' Stall
真的有这么变态的人吗？买人家的洗脚水喝，还50一杯！ pic.twitter.com/YLSELorHMm
— 默默 (@momoGZ0412) July 21, 2026
Footage from the scene showed female cosplayers seated beside large plastic containers filled with lemon water, cola or other coloured liquids. Their bare feet were submerged inside while companions used disposable cups to scoop out portions for paying attendees. The containers were positioned in a public area outside the main exhibition halls, where the spectacle quickly drew a dense crowd of buyers, onlookers and people filming on their phones.
A notice displayed near one stall attempted to frame the activity as a joke. It read: 'It is for entertainment only. We do not intend to guide in an inappropriate way.' Despite the disclaimer, people appeared to hand over money and consume the liquid, turning the performance into a commercial transaction rather than a staged photo opportunity.
One Guangzhou-based observer shared footage on X and questioned the demand for the cups. In a translation from Chinese, the user wrote: 'Are there really people this perverted? Buying someone's foot washing water to drink, at 50 yuan a cup?' The clip spread beyond local anime communities as viewers debated whether the stunt crossed the line between absurd internet humour and behaviour unsuitable for a public convention.
Organisers Expelled the Cosplayers
The convention organiser said the stalls were independently set up outside the official event space and were not authorised by Firefly ACG Expo.
After receiving reports, staff investigated and removed the cosplayers involved. Organisers also described the stunt as unacceptable and said comparable 'lowbrow stalls' would be prohibited from appearing again.
The cosplayers were not publicly identified in accounts of the incident.
The incident took place during one of Guangzhou's established anime and gaming events, which features cosplay, merchandise, performances and appearances linked to popular animation properties. Firefly's official website says the convention brand has held dozens of events across cities including Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Hangzhou.
Firefly says its conventions and related activities have served more than 20 million visitors. That scale meant footage from the July gathering quickly became part of a wider conversation about the public image of cosplay culture in China.
Stunt Copied a Viral US Cosplay Trend
The Guangzhou sellers appeared to be recreating a stunt seen in California two months earlier. During ParkCon, an unofficial night gathering held alongside FanimeCon in San Jose in May 2026, cosplayers dressed as characters including virtual singer Hatsune Miku were filmed placing their feet in coolers and advertising portions of 'Fresh Feet Juice'. Signs visible in the footage offered different serving sizes, while photos showed attendees crowding around the containers.
The California stunt was not organised by FanimeCon, but its rapid spread online gave the idea an international audience. By July, the copycat version in Guangzhou had added lemon slices, disposable cups and a 50 yuan price tag. Unlike the unofficial US gathering, the Chinese incident ended with convention staff intervening and the participants being ordered to leave as videos continued circulating internationally.
